| Show T THE f FIXING G Of R RAILWAY R Tf v I Prest Spencer Sp ol of Southern R K II Voices Sentiment of or BIg Hig I Against Cooper Dill Bill DillIS BillIS IS THE TUE KEYNOTE KEYHOlE OF OPPOSITION Agrees President i nil Impresses In lii Com Coin Commission Washington Jan U 12 1281 Spen Spencer cot cel pre president ld nt of If the thu Ih railway and to vole voice this the sentiment of af the thc Ni York Central lIthe Clunk Chien go Milwaukee e 81 lIt Paul laul Northern Pacific Illinois and other othmer r railway ra 11 lg today before the house commit committee tee on Interstate and foreign commerce against the Coop bill or any 1111 proposition to tu thin the Interstate commerce commission to hI fix Ox railway rotes Iole U Mr II Is the lint direct and 1111 of tile the railways 11 to be heard by h the till arid and 1111 lila his testimony II It regarded AH as I the hie keynote kenote of ot the opposition to into fixing by the thu th K gov V I Mr loll II Ilc 11 i said 1111 hI at the outset that It II Is III not hot info bis ht purpose to ii the lie subject in III Its There were however a 1 u number of Important points which he hI wished to emphasise I There U IN In no difference a f opinion Air Mr Pd r Spencer between the tue railroads of this the country and amiul this the president on th the subject that tha t re ia butts are wrung I 10 We agree with the of the Ihl tim lt that thin highways of ot toilet must Inu L bs ha h i kept open In all lilt upon equal terms On Oil that thuit basis tine the railway companies urn are ready rel d and anxious and mimi aid U the time Interstate It commerce I commission hut I do nb not 1101 think any additional legis hegie legislation U lation III linn Is III In III order to proceed against that thaI particular clans of nil I It If such legislation does doen appear to III to be necessary the tho railways of t the tho ho country certainly will stand and andI I II I liess no iii hesitation III In saying so ao In iii co 00 cooperation operation anti all aim to that list end cud OIl particular phase of ot regulation lies IIII already been heen pronounced by b the i commission lon till APi fully full covered by hy exist log Ing statutes It simply becomes a ques j thou of ot enforcement of ot the tho law Hut flut th thi the question before you OU Is to not nf of that list Ii to I that of the tho pow power er at to name a II rate Ill te upon the part of 0 fOW fOWer the commission after complaint and hear beer tug ing III It II has hns been chimed tills wilt be b a It meanie of stopping This claim I have hae no hesitation In disputing Of Ot the remaining 10 per Iler cent of ut the work olk of at till this commission scarcely carel 2 per percent II i cent was wai the subject of ot litigation Mr Spencer mid saId th time the acquiesced In of ot the decisions of ot the com corn commission mission U Ulie He lie pressed x the confidence of ot the railway world In the lie commission and mind I said It II was wu justly worthy of ot the respect of o the country c There Thelo wits Wit only one ten fen j tur ture of ot the time r bPi bill which he lie wished to discuss discus specifically j That wan ac 1 the portion conferring power upon the commission to substitute a n arule arate I rule rate for tor fn r one olle complained of lit is I unreason unreasonable I I chic able a hi after RUeI due tIne notice nOllee the Mid saul rate ral to I III In effect t subject to change only by the commission or by h the courts on mini application by the Ih railways Mr Spencer that hut the commis commission I sion sian ever legally hAll such lIuch power said saul the courts In 1807 1307 had prohibited this the Ih exercise of It tho the power by h the lie coma com j I It Is III claimed ha lie ht continued that lint this power pourer would ho Irn a 1 weapon In Inthe hi 11 hithe I the hands of ot the commission to prevent i rebates Hut But u a ruts rate fixed Oxell by b the tho com om I I mission onto can be he rebated or evaded just JURt justas as Os easily as 1111 any other The Tue use ule of at that weapon If It given Ihen to the th lie commission would punish not the this nf ot the lie I rate hilt but the one whirl hII upheld tin thu raP ON sue exercise ex e of cit the power would be to let hot I Ithe the rate down to the tine lower louver figure thus working na nu hardship on un the rood rond mak I lug ing the lie hose le rate mho hut hilt punishing th lit load maintaining the tho regular rates rotes The rho most Important claim In et of the hint proposition Mr Mm Spencer believed to be lie that a n power would enable Chit h commission to 10 prevent a discrimination between localities This question of ot adjusting tulsa rated between he Inc was WIS tine the and Intricate rate cate of ot all 1111 Tint Thi present system was wall na the thi of ot natural competition not only between local ronnIe roads which would nl mi ways wayn exist but hut between railroads as ns aswell I well To disturb this system he lie main mahl maintained would not hot only be he a II task so 80 enormous that no statement could ron lon a it comprehension of ot It hilt but would bo lie Impossible of ot satisfactory completion In III Inthe Inthe the hands of a mu body hody with authority only to 0 take Into limb consideration the its ono one phase of or it adjusting lutes with Ith reference to their equalization so io p far tar as nil the tho carrier concerned ll nod and leaving heavIng out than tho cue of ot competition between ties tiC If authority should 1 lie he granted there would not nol hp be a n locality which would not lot Immediately bring forth the claim that It was discriminated against I 7 In Iii ord order r to secure occur additional elvan tie tall U Taking pp u the tho subset subject of oC Utes mates Mr Ml Spencer to the hi stat ment meat which had ben been ma m mails l to thu ha com nn that rales rates were wert or of t I tp IPer p I Per r cent higher In 1 MM liar in lug IllS A total mice MIl of ot This I III La 1 conceded to tin 0 be true trul when the gross re t r were wrt token Into U Us Its gave a i a Il reason th this the In tu to price of ot commodities of ot every description I lout tion and anti consequently co the cost COlt of ot opera operation I lion tion of railways The net md return to 10 tho than thoI roads rOld hod had been ben Use less I than then In 18 I U |
